• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
RetailLuxury

LVMH’s U.S. CEO is glad ‘pretty annoying’ quiet luxury term has died

Eleanor Pringle
By
Eleanor Pringle
Eleanor Pringle
Senior Reporter, Economics and Markets
Down Arrow Button Icon
Eleanor Pringle
By
Eleanor Pringle
Eleanor Pringle
Senior Reporter, Economics and Markets
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 8, 2025, 11:04 AM ET
Shoppers with Louis Vuitton bags
The U.S. CEO of LVMH has declared the quiet luxury trend is officially over.Mike Kemp/In Pictures - Getty Images
  • LVMH U.S. CEO Anish Melwani expressed relief over the decline of the “quiet luxury” trend, arguing that while understated elegance has long existed within LVMH brands, the trend limited consumer expression and choice in the luxury space. As the industry shifts, European luxury brands now face a new challenge in the form of potential U.S. tariffs under President Trump’s proposed plan, which may lead to price hikes that consumers are expected to absorb.

The CEO heading up operations for designer empire LVMH in the U.S. said he’s glad to see the back of the “quiet luxury” trend.

Recommended Video

Driven by social media engagement, the quiet luxury craze referred to a lifestyle and aesthetic focused on high-quality, timeless pieces largely free of branding.

Anish Melwani, the chairman and CEO of LVMH U.S., said understated brands have always existed within the LVMH portfolio, and even labels associated with status dressing go through cycles of dropping their monogram.

Melwani argued that the beauty of the luxury sector is that it offers an aspirational goal to any consumer, and that the quiet luxury trend threatened to hamstring choice.

“I’ve always argued that luxury is connected to the underlying human emotion of accomplishment,” Melwani told the Milken Institute’s global conference on Tuesday.

Speaking on the panel moderated by Fortune‘s Diane Brady, Melwani continued: “When you really get it right you provide a product that a consumer, when they purchase it, they feel accomplished. That can manifest in different ways, but it’s fundamentally a feeling of accomplishment and it’s an inspiration.”

Customers of LVMH have many brands to choose from for that sense of accomplishment.

The stable of brands under the Paris-based LVMH umbrella includes maisons such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Loewe, and Givenchy, as well as jewelry and watch designers such as Tiffany & Co, Bulgari, and Tag Heuer.

The group is headed by tycoon Bernard Arnault, who is worth more than $147 billion, according to Forbes.

“One of the geniuses of Mr. Arnault is recognizing that consumers at this level are not monolithic in what makes them feel accomplished,” Melwani added. “Hopefully we’re past the term ‘quiet luxury’—that was getting pretty annoying—especially because it’s not new.

“If you ask Loro Piana, they would say, ‘We’ve been doing quiet luxury for 50 years.’ If you actually look at Fendi, Fendi’s had its periods where it’s been heavily logoed and monogrammed, and there’s been periods where less than 2% of the product line had any logo on it at all.”

The next headache for fashion: Trump tariffs

The idea of quiet luxury began circulating most notably online, courtesy of the TV show Succession.

In one scene, a character attached to a wealthy family is appalled by a guest’s “ludicrously capacious bag.”

The bag in question features a well-known print from a designer brand, and is large enough to fit items such as a lunch box or “subway shoes” inside—neither of which would be needed by an extremely well-off individual.

The scene exemplifies how an item proudly worn by one individual may be viewed as gauche by another.

“It’s impossible for any one brand to truly give that feeling of accomplishment to everyone,” chimed in Melwani.

“By having a portfolio, and more importantly having maisons be independent and autonomous, allows each maison to use its own heritage to create that feeling of desirability, to create that feeling of accomplishment in the audience they’re speaking to and allow people to find what is it that’s going to make them have that feeling.”

But having successfully navigated consumer trends like quiet luxury and subdued shoppers in major geographies like China, the luxury sector, most notably high fashion out of Europe, faces a new challenge.

This is, of course, President Trump’s tariff plan which includes a 20% hike on the EU following the conclusion of his 90-day pause.

Some 70% of the global luxury goods market is based out of Europe, and while this presents an outsize problem for the sector as a whole, it also gives the companies greater power.

“We would expect most European luxury companies to pass on the tariffs in the form of price increases to end consumers, who tend to be less sensitive to pricing and accustomed to regional price differentials,” UBS equity analyst Zuzanna Pusz wrote in a note earlier this year.

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Author
Eleanor Pringle
By Eleanor PringleSenior Reporter, Economics and Markets
LinkedIn icon

Eleanor Pringle is an award-winning senior reporter at Fortune covering news, the economy, and personal finance. Eleanor previously worked as a business correspondent and news editor in regional news in the U.K. She completed her journalism training with the Press Association after earning a degree from the University of East Anglia.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

Walmart shoppers are filling their gas tanks with less than 10 gallons for the first time since 2022, and its CFO calls it ‘an indication of stress’
EconomyRetail
Walmart shoppers are filling their gas tanks with less than 10 gallons for the first time since 2022, and its CFO calls it ‘an indication of stress’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 22, 2026
2 hours ago
trump
EnvironmentWhite House
Trump reverses grocery, air conditioning pollution regulations because they’re too woke
By Matthew Daly and The Associated PressMay 21, 2026
24 hours ago
target
Retailearnings
Target posts biggest jump in comparable sales in 4 years as turnaround takes shape
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressMay 20, 2026
2 days ago
Variational co-founders Edward Yu and Lucas Schuermann pose for a picture
CryptoCryptocurrency
Variational raises $50 million Series A to bring liquidity from traditional markets to blockchain rails
By Jack KubinecMay 20, 2026
2 days ago
A Pizza Hut workers prepares an order for delivery.
LawFood and drink
Pizza Hut franchisee claims $100 million losses from ‘cascading operational breakdowns’ in AI adoption gone wrong
By Sasha RogelbergMay 19, 2026
3 days ago
Photo of Donald Trump (left) with Mark Cuban
PoliticsDonald Trump
Trump and Mark Cuban end war of words to tag-team America’s drug pricing crisis: ‘Democrats want cheaper medications, too’
By Catherina GioinoMay 19, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
1 day ago
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
Success
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
By Preston ForeMay 20, 2026
2 days ago
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
3 days ago
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
Workplace Culture
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
By Sydney LakeMay 20, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 21, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 21, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 21, 2026
1 day ago
McKinsey partner says up to 50% of work hours could be transformed within the next 5 years
AI
McKinsey partner says up to 50% of work hours could be transformed within the next 5 years
By Emma BurleighMay 21, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.